A new mining operation is being started in the remote mountains in Colorado. You're a member of a group called ELK (Everyone Loves Kritters). A group of elk will need to be relocated. Your job is to help the elk find a new home.

The Mission

Your mission is to learn about elk and create a plan for moving them.

The Process

Activity 1:

Find a reading buddy. Talk about what you already know about elk. Then, read about them. Talk about the new things you learned.

• Go to the Basics Page.
• Go to the More Detail Page.
• Go to the In Depth Page.

Activity 2:

Write about the group of elk you'll be moving. What do they look like? How many bulls and cows are in the group? How many calves? If we wait two years to move the group how many more calves might be born in the group? Write in the word processor and add pictures from the information page or draw your own pictures.

Activity 3:

Locate Colorado on a map of North America. Make a list of places you find elk in the summer and winter. What do they eat? Where would this food be found? Identify other places on the map where elk could live.

Activity 4:

Write a letter to the mining company stating where you think the elk should be moved. Include your reasons. Also, write about the friends and enemies that the elk might find in this new place.

The Conclusion

Wow! You've moved the elk and they doing very well. Write a thank you to the mining company for providing the money to move the elk.

Note: All photographs taken with a digital camera in Arizona and Utah.
Developed by Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson, 04/02.